Soluble ink fountain pen



lNvENTc-)R v Z z'zymcz@ i7! y ATTORNEY R. B. KINGMAN Filed sept. 25, 1934 .m/ ./we a Aug. 13, 1935.

SOLUBLE INK FOUNTAIN 'PEN IIIIIHIIIIIIIH is formed by bringing water or other suitablek Patented Aug. `13, 1935 N UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE soLUBLEINK FOUNTAIN PEN Russell B. Kingman, Orange, N. J. Application September25, S1934,` Serial No. 745,391 M A 4 v s claims. (c1. 12o-42) l invention relates toimprovements in the T type of fountain pens in which the :writing iiuid solvent liquid, with a quantityY of Which the interior of the pen is supplied, in contact with a mass" of 1 comparatively dry but soluble ink material, whereby thewater or thelike is converted, within the pen interior, into a writing `fluid which is served to thepen nib during writing operations therewith. This invention has reference, more particularly, vto certain improvements l in fountain pens of the described type and of the general kind described in my prior United States Letters Patent No. 1,912,774dated June 6th, 1933, wherein a plurality of individual ink masses are arranged to be successively `available `for contact by the water or solvent in theproduction of the desired writing iiuid. V

The instant invention has for its principal obj# ject to provide a vnovel fountain pen of the type above mentioned, which is'so constructed and are .ranged that the Water or solvent is brought into `contact with the relatively dry and soluble ink material only when the pen is disposed in the v inverted position in which it is `ordinarily carried when not in use, that iswith the pen nib uppointed, or when the pen is in `horizontal posi- [time period of contact, be thoroughly chargedY vtion, ase. g. when carried in a womans handbag'. By such arrangement, `due to the fact that fountain pens usually occupy such invertedfor horizontal inactive or idle positions for comparatively considerably longer intervals of time than the intervals of time wherein they are disposed in writing position, the water or solvent is mainf tained in dissolving Contact with the inkfmaterial for relatively long periodsV of time, so that the water or solvent may, by such'relatively long with the dissolved ink material, even tothe satura- I `tion point, and consequently there is formed a `volume of writing iiuid, of uniform density and color, which is immediately available to be served to the pen nib, when the pen is turnedand erected to its normal writing position. Another object of this invention is to provide related to said conduit means, andV provided with a `plurality of'individually segregated masses of ink moved, and the `pen shown in its active or erect material adapted, by rotation of `said magazine, to be selectively or successively brought into communication with said conduit means and thereby exposed to contact with the water from said reservoir. I f

Other objects of this invention, not atthis time more particularly enumerated, Will become apparent in the following detailed description of the same, o

An illustrative embodiment of this invention 10 is shown in `the Aaccompanying drawing, in whicht- Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a soluble'ink fountain pen according to this invention, the same `being shown in its inactive or idle position as 15 distinguished from itswriting position, and with the removable cap `(shown in section) attached in pen nib enclosing position; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section throughthe'pen, with the cap re- 20 writing position, this view being drawn on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, taken on line 3 3 in Fig. 2, and drawn on a. further enlarged scale. i

`Similar characters of referenceare employed in g5 the above-described views, to indicate correspending partsL Referring to the drawing, the reference character I indicates the main body or barrel of the pen, the same being externally screw-threaded, as at 2, adjacent to its lower end, forthe securing of the removable cap 3, which` is adaptedto enclose the pen nib when the pen is not in use. The

kreference character 4 indicates the thro'at'section of the pen, the same having abuttportion 5 at its inner end which is inserted into the lower open end of the barrel I to operatively connect the same thereto. Extending from the inner end of said butt portion 5 is a spud 6 of reduced diameter, over which is engaged the lower end of `a iiexible rubber sac 'I which isfadapted to serve as a reservoir or container for water or other suitable solvent with which the pen is to be charged preparatory to its use. Said throatl section 4 is provided with the usual axial bore 8, whichextends therethrough, and through said butt portion 5 and spud 6, Aand in which is engaged and Y held a feedgbarand pen nib I0 in the usual manner. Said feed bar 9 is providedvwith a channel or duct I I which communicates with the interior of the sac 1, and which extends therefrom to the back of the pen nib I D.

The upper end of the barrel or main body I is closed by a plug I2 which is inserted therein p and preferably suitably secured thereto by cement or by any desired means of mechanical fastening. Extending downwardly from the under or inner side of said plug I2 into the interior of said barrel or main body I is a spud I3 of reduced diameter, over which is engaged the upper end of said sac l'. Extending upwardly from the upper or outer side of said plug I2 is an axial conduit member I4 of circular cross section, and provided adjacent to said plug with an annularly enlarged section I5, a portion of which is externally threaded, as at I 5. Extending through said spud I3, plug I2 and into said conduit member Id is an axial duct or passage Il', which is thus arranged in communication with the interior of the sac 'l which provides the water or solvent reservoir. Preferably said spud I3, plug l2 and conduit member I4 constitute an integral structure, and the free end of.` said conduit member Irl is preferably closed by an end wall I8.

Arranged in connection with the upper end ofsaid main body or barrel l, so as to be mounted, concentric to said conduit member lil- I5 in rotatable relation thereto, is a hollow-inl; material magazine, the same comprising an external shell l closed at its top or free end by an rend Wall 25. 'At its lower orinner end, said shell.9 is provided with a coupling member 2i having a shank 22 of reduced diameter for insertion into the lower end of said shell i9 in suitably aixed relation thereto, as e. g. by the screw threads 23 or other suitable fastening means. Said coupling member 2l is preferably of a diameter slightlyy in excessof the diameter of the main body or barrel l, and its circumferential surface is suitably knurled or roughened, whereby the coupling member 2l may also serve as a finger piece in the manipulation of the inlr material magazine to accomplish its rotation relative to the conduit member Ill-I5. The bottom end of said coupling member ZI is provided with a central opening lill sized to pass the conduit member Il and to receive and t the enlarged section I5` of the same. Above said opening 2Q is a diametrically enlarged stufng box chamber 25 to receive a suitable packingv material 26 which is held in leak-proof relation to andaround said enlarged section l5 of the conduit member I4 by a gland member 2l which is threaded upon the screw threads i6 of said conduit member section I5. Extending centrally through said shell ISvto the end wall I8 thereof is a hub sleeve 28 having an axial bore 29 to receive and fit the conduit member Ill; Extending longitudinally along saidhub sleeve Z8, as integral parts thereof and in circumferentially spaced radial projection therefrom, are a plurality of partition members Lifthe free margins of which abut the wall of said shell lil, preferably in slightly count'ersunk relation thereto, thus dividing the interior of the shell I9 into a plurality of ink material storage chambers or compartments 3l radial to said hub sleeve 28. Formed in the Wall of said hub sleeve 2B, to provide communication means withthe respective chambers or compartments 3l are one or morel openings 32, which `may' be ofvanyl desired shape or arrangement` Said chambers or compartments SI are open at their lower ends, such open ends being closed by aclosurewasher or disc 33, thus segregating the different chambers or compartments one from another. -Formed in the wall of said conduit member I4 is a port Sti, with which the communication openings Stof the several chambers or compartments may be selectively brought into registration or alignments() as to dispose any desired chamber or compartment in communication with the duct or passage Il of said conduit member Ill-I5.

It will be understood that the ink material magazine is rotatably related to the conduit member I-I 5, and is frictionally held thereto against accidental displacement therefrom due to the stuffing box connection of the coupling member, which also serves to prevent leakage of solvent to the exteriorof the pen. It will be also apparent that the ink material magazine may be removed from the conduit member, when the supply of ink material 35 carried in the several chambers or compartments thereof is exhausted, so that such magazine may be either recharged with ink material, or a new charged magazine substituted therefor for replacement upon and in operative relation to the pen.

When the ink material magazine is operatively assembled with the pen, and the sac 'l is supplied with water or other solvent by any suitable self-filling means such as ordinarily provided in fountain pens, the magazine may be turned upon the conduit member Iii- 5 to bring a desired ink material containing chamber or compartment into communication with the passage or duct I1 of said conduit member. In order to assist the user in readily and quickly ascertaining the operative position of the magazine relative to the conduit member for bringing a selected ink material chamber or compartment into operative relation to said conduit member, the outer surface of the magazine may be provided with positioning marks or indicia corresponding in number and circumferential spacing to the number and spacing of the magazine ink material chamber or compartments, which marks or indicia can be selectively opposed or registered, by turning the magazine, relative to a xed register or positioning mark carried by the pen barrel I, to indicate the operative aligning position of the conduit member port 34 with the communication means 32 of the selected chamber or compartment which is desired to be brought into operative relation to the water or solvent reservoir (see Fig. l).

In the operation of the pen, after a given ink material chamber or compartment of the magazine is operatively related lto the` port 313 and passage or duct il of the conduit member, and the pen is inverted or turned from its normal writing position, as e. g, to occupy the position shown in Fig. 1 in which it is ordinarily carried in the users pocket, the water or solvent from the sac l, or other form of reservoir, will flow by gravity into the passage or duct I'I of the conduit member Ill-I5, and will be brought into contact, through the registered port Sli and communication openings 32, with the ink material content of the communicating chamber or compartment of the magazine. Owing to the active and rapid solubility of the ink material, as composed for service in the instant form of pen according to this invention, such contact of the water or solvent therewith will dissolve an amount of such ink material sucient to thoroughly impregnate the water or solvent and thereby convert the same into an efficient writing fluid. With a properly composed ink material, no more thereof will be taken up by the water or solvent than is sufcient to saturate the latter, and consequently the derived writing fluid is used until consumed, whereupon by relling the reservoir with water or solvent a renewed supply of such fluid is obtainable. Owing to the fact that fountain pens are usually carried in the described inactive or nonadequate density and color.

service positions for considerable long intervals of time between the periods of use thereof for writing operations, a sufficient time is provided, during such comparatively long intervals of non-use, to

assure effective dissolution of the ink material i and its combination with the water or solvent in the. production of the desired writing iluid of It will be obvious that after the ink material is exhausted from one chamber or compartment of the magazine, the latter may be turned to Anew lled magazine, the magazine being of such form and so arranged as to be readily capable of being manufactured and independently sold. as a refill or replacement element of the pen.

" It will be understood that the water or solvent reservoir and the filling means therefor, as well as the pennib and feed bar means serving thelatter, may be variously made either in present known or conventional forms and arrangements,

1 `orin specially designed forms if desired.

Having described my invention, I claim:- 1. In a fountain pen of the kind described, a barrel provided with a throat section at one end to carry a pen nib and a feed bar therefor, said barrel being arranged to provide a liquid reservoir i communicating at its lower end with said feed bar, a conduit member extending axially from the opposite end of said barrel, said conduit member having va passage communicating with the upper end of said liquid reservoir, a coupling member rotatably mounted on said conduit member, said coupling member having a stufng-box chamber about said conduit member, a gland member, packing material retained in said stuffing-box chamber by said'gland member, and soluble ink holding means carried by said coupling membensaid conduit member having a port leading from its passage to said holding means, whereby the liquid content of said reservoir is brought into dissolving contact with said soluble ink content of said holding means when the pen is disposed in inactive or non-writing position.

2. In a fountain pen of the kind described, a barrel provided with a throat section at one end `.to carry `a pen nib and feed bar therefor, said barrel being arranged to provide a liquid reser- Voir` communicating at its lower end* with said feed bar, a conduit member extending axially from the closed upper end of said barrel, said conduit member having an axial passage communi- A cating with the upper end of `said liquid reservoir,

a coupling member rotatable on and about said conduit member adjacent to the upper end of said barrel, said coupling member having a stuflngbox concentric` to said conduit member, a gland `member threaded on a portion of said conduit member, packing material retained in said stuffing-box chamber by said gland member, a holding means anxed to said coupling member to rotate therewith'about said conduit member, said holding means being adapted to contain a plurality of segregated ink material masses, and means operative upon rotation of said holding means to Various adjusted positions for selectively bringing A said ink material masses inloommunication with said conduit member passage, whereby the liquid content of said reservoir is'brought into dissolving contact with the exposed ink material mass' f when the pen is disposed in inactive or non-writing position.

3. lIn, a fountain pen of the kind described, a barrel provided-With a throat Vsection at one end 'to carry a pen nib and feed bar therefor, said ber having an axial passage communicating with the upper end of said liquid reservoir, a coupling member rotatable on and about said conduit member adjacent to the upper end of said barrel, said coupling member having a stufling-box concentric to said conduit member, a gland member threaded on a portion of said conduit member, packing material retained in said stuflng-box chamber by said gland member, an ink material magazine affixed to said coupling member to rotate therewith about said conduit member, said magazine having an axial hub sleeve` to receive and turn on said conduit member, radial partition members extending from said hub sleeve to the walls of said magazine to form a plurality of ink material storage chambers,A said hub sleeve having means of communication between said storage chambers and the bore of said hub sleeve, and said conduit member having a portleading from its passage with which said communication means may be selectively registered by rotation of said magazine, whereby the liquid content of said reservoir is brought into dissolving contact with ink material in a given storage chamber when the penis disposed in inactive or non-writing position. Y f. f RUSSELL B. KINGMAN. ,i 

